All major historical events were a complete surprise to contemporary experts.
They all went against “current trends”.
All those past experts believed that tomorrow would always be an extension of yesterday. With today as a midpoint.
Rational,empirical,logical.
In hindsight, we can all sift through tons of facts to provide a rational narrative to explain what was inexplicable to our ancestors. We then pronounce ourselves as smarter,savvier,better educated, and more evolved than those poor fools caught flat-footed in the past.
So, with our better understanding, through hindsight of world events, we know what’s going to happen. Not only that, but we know what was done wrong in the past; so of course those mistakes will never be repeated and the future will be ours to control.
What hubris!

It’s like a man walking.
He approaches an intersection. He looks at his watch and says to himself,”Well yesterday at 9:31 AM I crossed this street and there were no cars. It is now 9:31 AM. Historically, there have been no cars. Therefore, I can cross safely”.
You might view this example as silly.
But this type of causal reasoning is endemic to western white people.
The most dedicated “aryan” superhero marching around playing Nazi is the natural enemy to a “Semmelweise”.
Can’t anybody think for themselves anymore?

ME:

“All major historical events were a complete surprise to contemporary experts.” is GREAT!